


It's Him

by chaosform



Category: The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:14:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29888550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosform/pseuds/chaosform
Summary: Stuckony arcade game competition. Prompt by @otp-prompts-for-you
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Kudos: 19





	It's Him

Steve and Bucky have been dating for years. All the way from the beginning of high school, (and it's been years since they graduated), they would do anything for each other......  
Anything except forfeit the top Ms. Pacman score at the arcade.

Ms. Pacman is not just a game, it's a masterpiece painting for an artist good enough to add the final touch of colour. (Steve would know, he's an artist). Bucky thinks that's just a fancy way of saying that it's a piece of work to throw your blood sweat and tears into, and no matter how great you do, you'll never get paid for it. He's a designer, so he likes to think he has an eye for details like this, (metaphorical as they may be). It's one of the many topics where Bucky and Steve will never agree, so they've designed a schedule for they sake of their sanity.  
Every even week, on the Sunday, Steve goes to the arcade, and puts in the highest score on Ms. Pacman. Every odd week, on the Sunday, Bucky does the same. It's not ideal to resolve their disagreement, (or even see who's better), but it works. Luckily, that's enough for Bucky and Steve.

When Bucky goes in to the arcade this particular week, the unthinkable happens. (Okay, so it's not unthinkable, just unexpected, especially since everyone in town knows how serious Steve and Bucky are about this). Someone else is using the Ms. Pacman machine......and it looks like they've been there for hours. Or he's been. Tony, according to the arcade manager. Apparently, this 'Tony' is the arcade mangers best friend, and that's why he gets to play Ms. Pacman on Bucky's day.

Bucky comes back later, only to discover that Steve's high score has been beat. (He sends some photographic evidence to Steve on Snapchat, smirking because Steve was going to have to eat some humble pie).

He is not so amused when Steve sends him a Snapchat the next week, from the arcade. His high score was beat. Not by Steve. By the same guy who beat Steve's last week. (What kind of gamer makes their screen name 'youknowwhoiam", there are no spaces, no capitals, and no clue to who this person is. Not to mention the fact that it should be too many characters for the machine.) Steve, eventually reveals that 'Tony' was playing on the machine when he got there, just like how it was for Bucky last week. How strange.

The next week, Bucky chooses to watch 'Tony' play, from afar, instead of waiting somewhere else for his turn. And, he's good. Tony is real good at Ms. Pacman. In fact he's almost good enough to beat Steve's.............He beats Steve's high score, and Bucky watches. Watches as he plays a little more before being eaten by the ghosts. It's him. Only the guy who would beat the games high score, and lose seemingly on purpose, would chose the screen name 'youknowwhoiam'. Sure enough, when Bucky gets to the Ms. Pacman machine, right after Tony leaves, 'youknowwhoiam' has beaten Steve's high score, yet again.

It becomes a new sort of routine for Bucky and Steve, to go in on their Sunday, watch Tony smash the others high score, then log in their own high score. Eventually, they decide just to go in together every Sunday, because Tony's just going to beat both their high scores anyway. This way they both get to watch him play every Sunday. It isn't the skills, the gaming prowess, the sheer mastery of their favourite art that captivates them....It's his long nimble, but calloused fingers.....It's his satisfied smirk at a job well done.....his forehead crease that appears when he's focusing.......his brown eyes swaying with the movements on screen..... it's the way his hips stick out while he plays ("His ass Steve, just say you like his ass. 'Cause you know I do.")......it's his cheerful hello to the manager each day...... it's his regret filled goodbye every week........

It's him.

("God damn it Steve, we've been gushing about him like creepy fangirls for weeks. How did we not know we were falling for him?"  
"What are you asking me for?! We both know you're the one who understands these things. If it was up to me to figure this stuff out, than we never would have even been able to get a date!!'  
"Psshhh.. Haha, you're right. What kind of date proposal is "Will you hold my hot dog, while I beat up assholes tomorrow"?  
"Yeah..yeah...laugh it up, it's not like we're trying to figure out how to seduce the man of our dreams here.")

The arcade manager, Rhodey, (or "your worst nightmare if you hurt him"), tells them to talk to Tony. ('Tell him all that sappy shit you were thinking with those dopey expressions every time you were watching him, and be direct, he's a genius, but that just means he's extra dense when it comes to these things.')  
So, they do just that.

("We like your ass-"

"Goddamnit Steve, don't start with that-"

"Are you guys okay? because I can totally leave if I'm making you uncomfortable, I really didn't think my pants were that tight, but I can wear looser ones next time-"  
"NOOOO!!! We love your tight pants-

"Steve, you idiot, stop fantasizing about his ass, and get your head in the game! We are here to seduce Tony not send him running-

"How do you know my name? I'm pretty sure I'd remember meeting two kind, handsome things like you boys.")

Needless to say, Tony ended up being the one doing the seducing, (Steve's lack of skill really isn't Bucky's fault, no matter what he says about never having a chance to practice). ('Seriously, I don't even have to compliment you, I just have to say "I'm with you til the end of the-" "Bedroom. Now." "Hey Tony, you coming? Buck's-mmhf" "Yup"). 

("The point is, despite Steve's complete lack of any social skills, Tony's insecurities, and my impulsiveness, it all worked out. And if anything is worth that effort...  
It's him, or her, or whomever makes you (mostly) happy, (Tony has trouble with trust, Steve snores, and I'm a light sleeper).

Winter Soldier, out.)

"Bucky, stop recording Youtube videos at one am!!!"

"Blrgh. Sleep now. Yell later."


End file.
